A Groove Armada gig has sparked a surge in hearing checks, with more than 50,000 people completing a free online hearing screener to be in with a chance of securing tickets. The one-off event, exclusively for over-50s, was headlined by the Superstylin’ hitmakers and organised by Specsavers.
The initiative saw music fans take action for their hearing health before being entered onto ‘The Testlist’, a club guestlist exclusively for the over-50s across the UK and Ireland. Among those who took the screener, 75% were told a check-up with a hearing expert could be worthwhile, while 25% received results in the good-to-fair range.
Exclusive event at Phonox in Brixton
The exclusive gig took place at Phonox in Brixton, London, on Thursday 15 October, marking the first time Groove Armada have played the venue. It was the first event on Specsavers' The Testlist, described as the UK's first clubbing guestlist for over-50s.
Further research of 2,000 adults found that 47% of over-50s say some of their happiest memories revolve around the music they love, while 21% would attend more live music events if experiences were designed with their generation in mind.
Safe listening measures
Helping put that into practice was Adam Hill, associate professor of electroacoustics at the University of Derby, a live sound engineer and chair of the Healthy Ears, Limited Annoyance (HELA) Initiative. He is also a supporter of the ‘Listen for Life’ campaign championed by the Night Time Industries Association and was enlisted to oversee safe listening measures.
Working closely with the venue, Dr Hill assessed the sound system’s performance, identified a dedicated quiet zone and conducted staff training. During the event, sound levels were assessed and free hearing protection was provided to all attendees. These measures ensured the event aligned with the World Health Organization’s Global Standard for Safe Listening Venues and Events.
Artists and fans speak out
Andy Cato, one half of Groove Armada, said: “We’ve been making and playing music for decades. For most of that time, the attitude to volume was the louder the better. Loud is exciting after all. As we approach our 30th birthday, still in DJ booths and still with lots of music to make, it would have been nice for there to have been greater awareness around enjoying the dancefloor experiences we all love whilst looking after your hearing. It’s nice to see this collaboration with Specsavers spreading the word and making a check-up for your ears as normal as one for your eyes.”
His bandmate, Tom Findlay, added: “When music’s been such a big part of your life, you don’t want to take your hearing for granted. It’s something I’ve come to appreciate more over the years, and I know what a difference taking care of it can make. The great thing is, it doesn’t mean changing the way you enjoy music, just being a bit more aware of it. And the fact that over 50,000 people took the online hearing screener to be part of this gig is fantastic. It’s a brilliant way to get people thinking about their hearing, while bringing everyone together through music.”
The poll also found that 75% of over-50s are still attending live music events, but 44% have experienced ringing in their ears after a show. Another 22% have walked away from a venue with muffled hearing after a performance, while 61% said the availability of hearing protection would be important or essential when choosing where to go to enjoy live events.
Jo Cammell, from Oxfordshire, was one of the fans who secured a place at the gig after completing the free online hearing screener. Now in her 50s, she returned to Brixton, where she last saw the duo perform in 2004 while six months pregnant with her son Tom, alongside two lifelong friends. She said: “Music has always brought our friendship group together. We started going out dancing in the early 90s and we've not hung up our dancing shoes yet. Nothing beats hearing music live. Superstylin' has always been our tune, so coming back to Brixton to see Groove Armada more than 20 years after the last time feels incredibly special. It's a reminder that dance music isn't just for the young and that you're never too old for a great night out. Taking the Specsavers hearing screener was really interesting because it made me stop and think about how important my hearing health is for the first time, so I can continue enjoying live music for years to come.”
